A coalition of Tea Party groups is taking aim at Chris Matthews and MSNBC in the aftermath of the network airing a new documentary, "The Rise of the New Right," this week, which the conservative activists charge is a "left-wing propaganda hit piece."

The MSNBC special premiered on the cable news channel Wednesday night, but even before its debut, host Chris Matthews signaled the program's provocative content by saying, "I think that the left will say this scares the heck out of me."

According to the National Tea Party Federation, "The Rise of the New Right" was a reflection of "journalism at its worse" and was produced with the intention to "demonize and misrepresent."